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Fraternity & Sorority Life (FSL) History at CMU

For more than 100 years, the FSL community at Carnegie Mellon University has fostered student involvement on campus. Since 1900, CMU fraternities and sororities have played a significant role in life on campus, fostering a richer undergraduate experience and providing students with opportunities to participate in many of Carnegie Mellon’s most beloved traditions. 

  • Fall 2021: Alpha Sigma Phi moves onto the Greek Quad
  • Fall 2021: FSL Strategic Plan is completed by Rise Partnerships
  • Fall 2022: Alpha Tau Omega is closed
  • Spring 2023: Order of Omega is re-activated
  • Spring 2023: Delta Tau Delta is closed
  • Fall 2011: Delta Upsilon is re-colonized.
  • Spring 2012: Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Inc. is reinstated.
  • Fall 2012: Sigma Chi is chartered.
  • Fall 2012: Alpha Phi is colonized.
  • Fall 2012: Phi Delta Theta is colonized.
  • Fall 2012: Pi Delta Psi is closed.
  • Spring 2013: Alpha Phi is chartered.
  • Spring 2013: Beta Theta Pi is closed.
  • Fall 2013: Triangle Fraternity is colonized.
  • Spring 2014: Delta Upsilon is re-chartered.
  • Spring 2014: Kappa Phi Lambda is closed.
  • Spring 2014: Triangle is closed.
  • Fall 2014: Alpha Sigma Phi is colonized.
  • Spring 2015: Alpha Sigma Phi is re-chartered.
  • Fall 2015:  Alpha Tau Omega is colonized.
  • Spring 2016: Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. is colonized.
  • Fall 2018:  Kappa Phi Lambda is re-chartered.

  • Spring 2020: Omega Phi Beta sorority, Inc. is closed.

  • 2001: In December, Pi Delta Psi becomes the first Asian-interest Greek community on campus.
  • 2005: (April) Kappa Alpha Theta moves onto Greek Quad (into Delta Tau Delta’s vacated house) as the first sorority on the Quad.
  • 2006: Zeta Beta Tau re-establishes themselves as a colony after being removed in 1983.
  • 2006: On April 29, 2006, local sorority Zeta Psi Sigma receives a charter from the national sorority Alpha Chi Omega. 
  • 2006: On September 17, 2006, the Greek Life Advisory Committee is formed to develope a plan for the Greek community at Carnegie Mellon and ensuring that the fraternity and sorority community consist of members who make decisions based on their fraternal values and engage the community in positive and meaningful relationships.
  • 2007: (July) Delta Gamma moves onto the Greek Quad into 5031 Forbes Avenue.
  • 2007: (August) Plan for the Future is adopted by the fraternity and sorority community. The first Standards of Excellence are implemented.
  • 2007: (December) Multicultural Greek Council is founded and formed by the four Asian-interest fraternities and sororities. The first MGC President is William Chow, a members of Pi Delta Psi.
  • 2008: (September-November) Delta Tau Delta national fraternity recolonized on campus and inducts a class of more than 35 men.
  • Spring 2009: Kappa Delta Rho closes.
  • 2009: (April) Zeta Beta Tau is recognized as a chartered organization from the national organization.
  • Summer 2009: Theta Xi closes.
  • 2009: On August 1, 2009, Delta Delta Delta moves onto the Greek Quad (into Kappa Delta Rho's vacated facility) at 1071 Morewood Avenue.
  • Fall 2009: Kappa Kappa Gamma moves into the old Theta Xi facility, 1065 Morewood Avenue.
  • Spring 2010: Delta Tau Delta chartered.
  • Fall 2010: Phi Kappa Theta removed from campus.
  • Fall 2010: Zeta Beta Tau closes.
  • Fall 2010: Sigma Chi begins the colony process at CMU becoming the Sigma Chi Alpha colony.
  • 1992: Sorority Chi Omega’s charter is revoked by the national office due to financial reasons. Sisters from this chapter form local chapter Zeta Psi Sigma.
  • 1995: Zeta Psi Sigma is officially recognized by the university.
  • 1995: On October 8, 1995, Sigma Phi Epsilon re-colonizes after 58 years of being dormant on campus.
  • 2000: Sigma Phi Epsilon moves out of Margaret Morrison Apartments and onto the fraternity Quad.  Sigma Tau Gamma moves from the fraternity Quad to Margaret Morrison Apartments.
  • 1983: Zeta Beta Tau leaves campus for behavioral reasons.
  • 1983: Former brothers of Zeta Beta Tau form a new organization Sigma Tau Gamma.
  • 1985: Kappa Alpha Theta begins hosting the Mr. Fraternity event in 1985 after the death of one of its sisters, Karin Johnson, due to an acute asthma attack. In honor of her memory, Theta hosts Mr. Fraternity and donates all proceeds from ticket sales to the Karin Johnson Memorial Fund, which is managed by the Ohio Lung Association. This year's pageant raised $4,153 for the fund.
  • 1985: Kappa Delta Rho is reinstated at Carnegie Mellon University after being dormant for 46 years.
  • 1961: Phi Kappa Theta and Tau Delta Phi move onto fraternity Quad.
  • 1968: Kappa Sigma house burns down.
  • 1955: On April 19, 1955, first-time fraternity booths are judged.
  • 1956: First fraternity duplex is completed in ‘Fraternity Area’ on Forbes Avenue. Beta Theta Pi and Delta Upsilon move in.
  • 1957: Second fraternity duplex is completed on the corner of Morewood Avenue and Forbes Avenue. Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Alpha Tau Omega move in.
  • 1958: Third fraternity duplex is complete on Morewood Avenue. Pi Kappa Alpha and Delta Tau Delta move in.
  • 1959: The trustees approved the recommendation by administration that CIT would not approve occupancy by a fraternity or other undergraduate social group in housing not owned by the school other than the building currently occupied by the group. This meant in effect that only two fraternities outside the system would ultimately be required to join it, which they did.
  • 1943: Under Dean Yon, the university pushed for national sororities to be on campus.
  • 1943: First national sorority, Alpha Epsilon Phi, is installed at Carnegie Tech.
  • 1944: Five national sororities installed at Carnegie Tech: Delta Gamma, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Alpha Theta and Chi Omega.
  • 1945: Seventh national sorority installed at Carnegie Tech, Sigma Kappa.
  • 1932: Alpha Theta Sigma, Kappa Phi Delta and Phi Delta Mu sororities are organized.
  • 1933: Gamma Phi Sigma sorority is organized.
  • 1936: Fraternity membership is down to 350 men. President Doherty reviews the fraternity situation and despite the financial difficulties which confronted many of these organizations with the Depression, they were worth preserving because “Fraternities could be the construction force on campus.”
  • 1937: President Doherty appointed a committee of faculty advisors to supply guidance to fraternities.
  • 1937: Due to the Depression and lack of membership, Sigma Phi Epsilon closes its doors.
  • 1939: Kappa Delta Rho closes its doors due to financial difficulties.
  • 1940: Carnegie Tech makes the decision to own and maintain fraternity houses as dormitories in the ‘Frat Area,’ the piece of land between Devon Road, Forbes Avenue, and Morewood Avenue.
  • 1921: Local chapter Delta Mu is organized.
  • 1921: Opheleum club becomes a chapter of the national fraternity Kappa Sigma.
  • 1921: Gamma Nu is organized.
  • 1921: Beta Pi, a College of Fine Arts sorority, is organized.
  • 1921: Beta Tau Lambda, a College of Fine Arts, sorority is organized.
  • 1922: Alpha Pi becomes Beta Sigma Rho.
  • 1922: Local chapter Delta Chi Rho is founded.
  • 1922: Zeta Delta becomes a chapter of the national fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha.
  • 1923: Xi Sigma Upsilon and Delta Epsilon Omega merge on March 5, 1923, to become Delta Xi.
  • 1923: Gamma Gamma Gamma, a College of Fine Arts sorority, is organized.
  • 1923: Delta Xi becomes a chapter of the national fraternity Alpha Tau Omega.
  • 1923: Tau Gamma Phi becomes a chapter of the national fraternity Delta Tau Delta.
  • 1923: Kappa Epsilon is founded.
  • 1925: Alpha Sigma Phi installed, formerly local chapter Iota Sigma Delta.
  • 1925: Kappa Epsilon becomes a chapter of the national fraternity Phi Kappa.
  • 1925: On October 10, 1925, Sigma Epsilon Phi, which organized for the sole purpose of becoming Sigma Phi Epsilon, receives a charter from the national organization.
  • 1926: Phi Sigma Kappa installed, formerly local chapter Delta Chi Rho.
  • 1929: Fraternity membership soars with more than 500 men.
  • 1929: Tau Delta Phi is installed, formerly local chapter Gamma Nu.
  • 1930: Delta Mu becomes a chapter of the national fraternity Kappa Delta Rho.
  • 1911: Women in the College of Fine Arts were allowed to hold membership in Greek letter societies and sororities. Alpha Kappa Psi, a College of Fine Arts sorority, is founded.
  • 1912: Gamma Kappa Club becomes a chapter of the national fraternity Theta Xi, becoming the first Carnegie Tech national fraternity.
  • 1913: Opheleum Club is organized.
  • 1914: Local fraternity Delta Epsilon Omega is organized.
  • 1915: National fraternity Alpha Phi Delta installed.
  • 1915: Local fraternity Tau Gamma Phi is founded.
  • 1916: Local fraternity Iota Sigma Delta is founded.
  • 1916: Beta Theta Epsilon becomes a chapter of the national fraternity Sigma Nu.
  • 1917: Sigma Tau becomes a chapter of the national fraternity Delta Upsilon.
  • 1918: Interfraternity Council established to serve as the liaison with administration and to formulate and enforce regulations relating to rush, pledging, initiation and recognition of new activities.
  • 1918: Dean Mary B. Breed of Margaret Morrison made the decision that women in Margaret Morrison Women’s School could not hold membership in a sorority. Theta Sigma is shut down.
  • 1919: Local chapter Alpha Pi is organized.
  • 1919: Zeta Lambda Epsilon becomes a chapter of the national fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
  • 1920: Sigma Rho becomes a chapter of the national fraternity Beta Theta Pi.
  • 1920: Sigma Epsilon Phi is founded.
  • 1920: Local chapter Zeta Delta is founded.
  • 1906: The Slide Rule Club is founded at Carnegie Tech, which was converted to the Greek letters Sigma Rho, becoming the first fraternity at Carnegie Tech.
  • 1906: Pioneer Tech Club is founded at Carnegie Tech and soon becomes Sigma Tau.  
  • 1907: Beta Theta Epsilon is founded.
  • 1908:  Local fraternity, Xi Sigma Upsilon, is organized.
  • 1908: Techmont Club is founded at Carnegie Tech which becomes Gamma Kappa Club.
  • 1910: Theta Sigma was founded as a women’s society at the Margaret Morrison Women’s School. Sorority ban by Dean Mary B. Breed caused the organization to shut down.
  • 1910: Local fraternity Zeta Lambda Epsilon is founded.

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